To complete their fixture card in the Premier Division of the UKDA National League, Warwickshire brought the curtain down on the season with a home game with Sussex. Prior to the fixture there were thirteen points separating the two teams, Warwickshire lying seventh in the table and Sussex eighth.
Saturday’s ladies ‘B’ game saw the home side finish on the wrong side of the 4-2 result with Donna Pinch and Kirsty Hinchliffe their only winners, Donna Pinch taking the lady of the match award for her straight 3-0 win over Tracey Collins and 18.33 average. The men’s ‘B’ finished all-square at 6-6 with wins from Lee Miller, Matty Washbrooke, Jamie Hughes, Mark Strong, Mark Martin and Ian Shaw. Top of the averages for the men’s ‘B’ was Jamie Hughes who had a 4-0 win over Steve Collins and averaged 28.23.
Going into Sunday’s games, Warwickshire were trailing 10-8 but the ladies ‘A’ won 4-2 to put the overall score level at 12-12. Winners for the ladies were Wendy Adams, Courtney Hine, Caroline Pike and Natalie Gilbert with Caroline Pike picking up the match award for her 3-1 success against Jemma Murphy and super 23.25 average. All that was now required from the men’s ‘A’ was a win and four of those necessary seven wins came in the first half from Gareth Braham, Sam Price, Steve Hine and Kevin Dowling. Further wins in the second session from Ryan Jackson, Nigel Heydon and Wayne Mynard secured the 7-5 win and an overall 19-17 victory. Nigel Heydon took the man of the match award for his superb 31.24 average in his 4-2 win over Dave McLaren.
The win saw Warwickshire finish on a high and sixth in the division with 188 points, the second time they have finished in that position, the previous time being in the 2022-2023 season, their record in the five seasons so far has seen them finish second, sixth, third, fourth and sixth.
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West Midlands went into their final game in the Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division, second in the table, just one point behind leaders Middlesex. The two top teams went into their final games as favourites to win as leaders Middlesex had an away fixture with Kent who were placed eighth on 165 points, some forty-seven fewer than their opponents and West Midlands, who also had an away game, against Cheshire, who were bottom of the division with 153 points, fifty-eight less than their visitors.
The ladies ‘B’ finished all-square at 3-3 in a game of two halves with the hosts winning the opening three games and the away side the last three thanks to wins from Jacqueline Simmons, Kat McLean and Shellbie Guest, Kat McLean their top player with a 19.44 average in her 3-2 win over Lyn Marsden. By the midway point of the men’s ‘B’ match, the away side were trailing 4-2, Callum Parkes and Dean Fullwood their two winners, the second half was a repeat performance of the first, with Olly Garratt and man of the match Justin Evans their only winners, Evans winning 4-3 against Dave Hart with a 24.42 average, the result, 8-4 to Cheshire.
The ladies ‘A’ replicated their ladies ‘B’ game with Cheshire winning the first three games and West Midlands the last three, to finish level at 3-3 thanks to wins from Evonne Taylor, Gemma Barrett and Eloise Milburn. The match award went to Gemma Barrett who won 3-1 against Emma Pearce with a 21.75 average.
For an overall victory the men’s ‘A’ required at least an 8-4 win, but the best they could do was three winners in the first half and three in the second to see them finish level at 6-6. Winners for the Midlands side were Ryan O’Connor, Shaun Carroll, Jack Aldridge, Scott Baker, Adam Teasdale and Dan Nicholls with the match award going to Scott Baker who beat Ozzy Ayers 4-0 with an outstanding average of 34.55.
The final overall score was 20-16 to Cheshire, but with Middlesex also surprisingly losing 24-12 at Kent, it was congratulations to West Midlands who not only achieved promotion but also won the divisional title with 227 points, three more than Middlesex who finished as runners-up.
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It was cup week in the South West Birmingham Clubs League, the Bob Price Cup with the biggest win of 7-0 going to Northfield Darts Club who took out Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’. Bournbrook had a 5-2 win over Kings Norton Arrows with the other six games all finishing with a close 4-3 result, the winners being Stirchley United, Quarry Lane Club, E57, Cue Club, Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Longbridge Arrows, in turn at the expense of Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’, Perfection, Stirchley Arrows, Longbridge Warriors, West Heath CEM and Bartley Green FC.
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Langley Arrows and Raven Arrows are the only two teams in group one of the Sheldon and District Summer League to have won the opening two games played so far. A 6-2 win at Dog Inn Nomads for Langley and a similar 6-2 win for Raven at Trident Spears putting the two teams joint top of the table level on points and average.
In group two, Kingshurst Labour Club are the only team to have won two games, their latest 7-1 home win over RAFA Arrows giving them a one point advantage over second placed RAFA who also won 7-1 at home against Family Tree.
Lyndon Old Boys top the group three table a 5-3 win at Hunters Moon giving them four points, one more than their nearest rivals Raven who had a 6-2 home win over Moseley Rugby Club.
A 5-3 win at Raven Flights puts CBMC-A top of the group four table, second placed Maggies just one point short of the leaders after their 6-2 win at Shirley Misfits.
Langley Bullets have won both of their first two games in group five, the latest of which was a 6-2 win at Trident Flights, while second placed Yardley District Amateur Darts Team added a 6-2 win at Mackadown Sports and Social Club ‘B’ to keep within one point of the leaders, as are third placed Castle Bromwich Spitfires after their 5-3 home win over Weir Raven.
There were five maximums this week and chalking them up were Nigel Robinson (Kingshurst Labour Club), Tom Savage (Smithswood Social Club), Craig Stansfield (Lyndon Old Boys) and Carl Monnington (Yardley District Amateur Darts Team).
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With just two more fixture to play in division one of the Sutton and District League, Highcroft Hotdogs have one hand on the division one winners silverware, their most recent 9-0 win at St Thomas Lions taking their points tally to thirty-six with a four points lead on second placed Bishop Vesey who won 8-1 at home against Old Horns Lions. Third and fourth placed Nomads @ Hollyfields and Old Horns Lions are both on thirty points, six short of the leaders but only two behind second placed Bishop Vesey.
There were two maximums in division one this week and they were supplied by C.Sammons (Bishop Vesey) and D.G.Bond (Charley’s Flights).
Rise Club hold on to pole position in division two, their 6-3 win at Deer’s Leap keeping them six points ahead of both second and third placed Pint Pot Flights and Great Barr Social. Pint Pot Flights lost ground in the title race when they lost 6-3 at home to Great Barr Social.
In division two D.Hughes (Plough and Arrows) got the one and only maximum while his team-mate N.Robbins had a 160 break as did M.Bagnall (Pint Pot Flights).
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Its close at the top of the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League,with Matthew and Steve Cain both having played thirty-six games and are both on ninety-three points. This week Matthew won 2-1 against Roxt Bennett and then beat Clive Austin 3-0, Steve however, missed the opportunity to go outright leader as after he won 3-0 against Tony Pedley he lost 2-1 to Charlie Rogers and then 3-0 to Ramone Stephens who had a 160 break against him. Martin Cooper is third in the league, he had a 2-1 win over John Frost and although eight points behind the leading duo, Cooper has two games in hand.
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Old Liberal Club extended their undefeated run in the Stourbridge and District MondayNigh League to fourteen games when they won 5-2 at Hinksford Arms, they have a four points lead on second and third placed Cross and Gornal British Legion but both have only playde thirteen games, one less than the Liberal Club. In their latest outing Cross won 5-2 at Bird in Hand while Gornal British Legion went one better with a 6-1 win at High Acres to keep them just ahead of Cross on average.
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The Rowley Monday Night League have reached the halfway stage of their season and leading division one is the Bell. Bell made it eleven straight wins when they won 8-1 at home against Albion with T.Brennan hitting a maximum for the winners. Second placed Gate Hangs Well won their home fixture with Wonder 7-2 whose M.Perkins had a 160 break. The win for Gate Hangs Well leaves them trailing Bell by four points. Third placed Tividale FC had a narrow 5-4 home win over Whiteheath Tavern they are eight points off the top of the table.
Division two leaders Bostin Darts ‘B’ won 6-3 at home against Vine to make it eleven straight wins, which gives them a two points lead on their nearest rivals Double Tops Micro Bar who won 5-4 at Spring Meadow, N.Raxter finding the three treble twenties for the home side.
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Week seventeen was a good week for the Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club’s two teams in the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, as both the ‘A’ and the ‘B’ won 7-2. The ‘A’ team top the table with a perfect forty-five points having won all fifteen of their games the latest of which saw them win 7-2 at home against Furnace with both Mark Rollinson and Phil Tonks hitting a maximum for the home team. The ‘B’ side also won at home beating Rose and Crown (Halesowen) but they still remain in the bottom three teams of the table. Old Liberal Club and Rose and Crown (Wordsley) are both on thirty-nine points, the latter having a game in hand on the two teams above them. Jamie Wrench (Hadden Cross) hit a maximum in his team’s 5-4 win at Plough and Harrow.
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Despite suffering a 3-2 defeat to Kat McLean in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, Jacqueline Maiden has moved up one place in the table to replace Evonne Taylor in pole position with 118 point, just one more than Taylor to clinch the title.
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There were convincing 5-0 wins for the top two teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League this week, leaders Staffordshire Knot beating Gate Inn and second placed Kings Head winnng against Chase Social to leave them three points behind Staffordshire and fifteen ahead of third placed Dog and Partridge who have a game in hand.
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Jason Lowe continued is push t make it two consecutive titles in the Amblecote RBL Premier League when he added a 6-1 win over Daz Hand plusa 4-3 win against Andy Vellender to his acocu to give him a total of 243 pointsforty-two more than second placed Ian Townsend who after adding on his 6-1 wins over Chris Cox and Shane Passey has two games in hand on Lowe, as does third placed Nick Fullwell, however it was a night of mixed fortunes for Fullwell as he lost 4-3 to Rhys Cox before winning 6-1 against Craig Lowin to leave him fifty-seven points short of Lowe.
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A 5-3 win over Brian Dolman has seen Simon Pritchard take his number of points, at the top of division one, in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League, to 119 from eighteen games. Second placed Chris Manoila had a similar 5-3 win over Allan Davies to keep within seven points of Pritchard with a game in hand.
In division two, although held to a 4-4 draw by Mike Franks, Wayne Barratt stays top of the division with 137 points, Matt Ford is second with 126 points but third placed Charlie Baker is on 116 points and has four games in hand on the two players above him.
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Congratulations to Junction ‘B’ who have not only won the singles league in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night Darts League, but also the doubles league for a fantastic double. In the singles league, Dog and Partridge ‘B’ finished as runners-up with sixty-four points, third placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ having the same number of points but narrowly losing out on average.
Runners-up in the doubles league were Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who finished on the same sixty points as Champions Junction ‘B’ but with an inferior average. Golden Lion ‘A’ finished third, their fifty-six points four short of the two teams above them.
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